Minutes for H&S Faculty Senate Meeting, Friday Feb 7th, 2014:
Present: Peyi Soyinka-Airewele, Paula Murray Cole, Brendan Murday, Hugh Egan, Dara
Engler, Claire Gleitman, Jennifer Jolly, Peter Melcher, Sharon Stansfield, Carla Stetson, Kelley
Sullivan, Jennifer Tennant, David Turkon, Michael Trotti, and Aaron Weinberg.
Guest: Dean Leslie Lewis
Meeting started at 4:05 pm
1) December 6, 2013 minutes approved. All approved with 3 abstentions.
2) Announcements and updates:
A. Faculty Council update: David Turkon missed the last Council meeting so had no
update. Council’s minutes did not raise any concerns for Senate.
B. Elections update: Brendan Murday – No update on the curriculum committee
natural sciences member; there is still a need for one faculty member.
C. Update on Intellectual Property Policy Draft: share email from the Provost. No
update.
D. Update on All-College Meeting:
a. Discussion of the Endowed Distinguished Professor program: Senate is
not clear on the objectives for having endowed positions. Senate’s
concerns relate to the donors and faculty positions; could donors influence
the faculty that fills these positions? Senate feels that faculty should be
part of the discussion/conversations on any exploratory committees related
to the Endowed Distinguished Professor Program. Senate will send a letter
to Provost Marisa Kelly and Chris Biehn Vice President of the Division of
Institutional Advancement on this issue.
b. Capital campaign and status of the new building mentioned at the last All
College Meeting: Senate will ask the President for an update on the status
of the capital campaign and the new building, in the hopes of gleaning
what purpose this new building will serve and how this fits in with the
future vision of Ithaca College. Senate feels that dialog between the
faculty body and the President would be beneficial with regard to faculty
needs for a new building space. To achieve this goal, Senate recommends
that we initiate a faculty focus group to help come up with a plan for what
education should be at Ithaca College in the 21st century and to link this
vision to the new master plan being discussed and the new capital
campaign.
3) Reports from Subcommittees:
A. Peer Review of Teaching Committee: Brought forward Sociology Department’s
peer review statement. There were a few minor issues raised with regard to the
total number of teaching statements being on the upper limit and Senate wanted to
make sure that this would not be a workload burden on the tenured faculty. The
sub-committee will discuss this with the department of Sociology.
B. Scholarship Statement Committee:
a. Recommends that we forward to the Dean with the Senate’s endorsement:
Art Department statement; see relevant document. Motion to recommend
the Art Department’s scholarship to the Dean was approved (all in favor).
b. Environmental Studies and Sciences statement. Sub-committee will take
Senate’s recommendations back to the department with suggestions from
Senate.
c. Center for the Study of Culture, Race and Ethnicity statement;
Motion to recommend to the Dean (all were in favor, no abstentions).
4) Student Statement Subcommittee: a draft of guidelines for the dean was presented and
discussed. Questions raised by Senate:
a. Is this issue appropriate for an all-school meeting and, if so, when should we
schedule that?
b. Tinker with #’s 1, 4, 10, 11, (Claire took notes on these), also add # 13 to address
online courses. Determine the process on how to gain faculty feedback via
executive committee; also, this modified document will be shared with Chairs at
the Chairs meeting.
5) Motion to adjourn (all in favor) at 5:58 pm.